Decorative moldings of various shapes, sizes, and styles have been widely used in residential homes, commercial buildings, and in many consumer products to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the same. It has previously been known to form moldings from such materials as wood, plastic, and metal.
Conventional methods for installing molding are laborious, time consuming, and expensive. Furthermore, conventional methods have required the skill of a craftsman to properly install the molding. Previously known methods of installation include the following steps. First, the material is machined to a desired configuration. Subsequently, the material is cut to the precise length needed. The ends of adjoining sections which form, for example, the inside corners of a room, the outside corners of a room, doorway corners and window corners are mitered. Once all cutting and mitering steps have been performed, the molding is secured to the surface by finishing nails and the like. A filling material, for example wood putty, is used to fill the holes formed in the molding by the finishing nails.
There are numerous drawbacks to installing molding in the aforementioned manner. Specifically, the machining step is expensive and requires special machinery to perform the same. Additionally, the material is usually machined at a location remote from the location where the molding is installed. Thus, the molding must be transported, sometimes over considerable distances, which further increases the cost and the likelihood of the molding becoming damaged. The cutting and mitering steps are very time consuming and thus significantly increase the time expended in installing the molding. Moreover, any imprecisions in either the cutting or mitering steps will lead to one of wasted material, the need for additional cutting or mitering, and unsightly imperfections in the installed molding. The step of securing the molding to the surface by finishing nails or similar fasteners generally requires two or more laborers. Also, the additional step of filling must be performed when using finishing nails or similar fasteners.